Southern Lehigh girls take third straight District 11 basketball title

HARRY FISHER / MORNING CALL file photo

Southern Lehigh High School's Olivia Snyder (left), a 6-foot off guard, scored 19 points on 9-for-11 shooting from the field and added five steals and five rebounds.

Southern Lehigh High School's Olivia Snyder (left), a 6-foot off guard, scored 19 points on 9-for-11 shooting from the field and added five steals and five rebounds. (HARRY FISHER / MORNING CALL file photo)

Tom MugaveroSpecial to The Morning Call

Southern Lehigh hasn’t played any favorites during its three-year run of league and district championships.

Pottsville, out of Schuylkill County, was the sixth different opponent the Spartans beat, rolling over the Tide 52-26 on Saturday afternoon in the 5A District 11 title game at Freedom High School.

Southern Lehigh’s pair of all-state players and 1,000-point career scorers, junior Olivia Snyder and senior Amanda Mobley, led the team offensively as the Spartans (24-2) won their third straight District 11 title — their only three in school history — to go along with three straight Colonial League championships.

Snyder, a 6-foot off guard, scored 19 points on 9-for-11 shooting from the field and added five steals and five rebounds. Mobley, a 5-6 point-guard headed to Rider University, added eight points, six rebounds, three steals and three assists.

“We thought it would be a little closer game but our defense started out strong and our transition game on offense really helped us,” said Snyder, the Colonial League’s Most Valuable Player after averaging 17 points per game. “Usually we switch between man and zone but man was really working for us today. To win three straight district championships with this group of girls is a great experience.”

Mobley, who has played in more victories (97) than any other Spartan player, has guided her team to Colonial League title game wins over Palisades, Notre Dame and Wilson, and district championship game wins over Bethlehem Catholic and Bangor and now Pottsville.

“Maybe one, but not all this and still going,” Mobley said when asked what she thought the program could accomplish after going championship-less her freshman season. “Now we want to go farther than we ever did in states.”

Southern Lehigh, which clinched a PIAA berth with the victory, will play the District 12 fourth-place finisher in the first round on March 10 while Pottsville (14-10) ends its season while falling to 0-4 all-time in district finals.

“We couldn’t beat that team,” said third-year Pottsville coach Curt Ziegmont after the first district matchup between the two programs. “Their size is such a factor with three 6-footers out there that can move. Certain plays we ran all season, that we got all season, when you go against three 6-footers they take up space so quick. On offense they don’t have to do much and can still put points on the board. It’s so effortless.”

Southern Lehigh fourth-year coach Matt Cooper (99-10) is on the verge of shattering the 21-year-old Lehigh Valley record for quickest to 100 career victories which stands at 118 games by Palmerton’s Rod Strohl, who coached WNBA draft pick Nicole Levandusky his first four seasons.

“It’s been such a group effort,” said Cooper, a Bangor High School graduate. “Everybody, the players, the assistant coaches and everybody that supports us have been there for us. It’s such a privilege to coach these girls.”

Southern Lehigh won two games to reach the state quarterfinals for the first time last season.